Posts tagged ‘boiled eggs’

Simply put, pickled eggs are hard boiled eggs preserved in a pickling solution. And while often considered ‘bar food’, pickled eggs are actually a tasty method of storing and preserving the bounty of eggs today for the eating enjoyment of eggs tomorrow – or in this case, a couple of weeks.

“Pickling is, of course, a centuries-old method of preserving a wide range of foods. Eggs are pickled the world round, but they seem to have first become a barroom staple in pubs in the industrial north of England as part of the 19th-century ploughman’s (or peasant’s) lunch. They caught on because they were cheap (and) they did not spoil …” www.esquire.com

There are hundreds of different recipes out there and I’ve provided links to a few below. Recipes vary from the traditional brine solution used for pickles to other more exotic and international solutions, which can impart a sweet or spicy taste. The final egg taste is largely determined by the pickling solution and the amount of time the eggs are left to pickle.

One of the most popular recipes originates from the Pennsylvania Dutch, pickled beet eggs or red beet eggs, includes whole beets in the pickling solution to impart a pink or red color to the eggs.

*Simmer the chopped beets in a cup of water, covered, until tender, 30-40 minutes, or used canned beets. Use the beet juice from the cooking water, or the juice from canned beets.

Hard-boil the eggs, let them cool then remove the shells and place in quart sized glass jar. (Tip; It’s best to use a tall jar as it takes less liquid to cover them than when using a wide bowl.)

Combine beet juice, vinegar, sugar and spices in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; stiruntil sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

Pour mixture over eggs in the jar, place some or all of the cooked beets in the jar (optional). Cover tightly. Let eggs sit for two days before eating, the longer the eggs marinate in the liquid, the darker the color and stronger the flavor will be. (Tip; Prolonged exposure to the pickling solution may result in a rubbery egg texture.)

World Egg

Easter comes in the spring, when the earth renews itself after a long, cold winter. And while Easter itself is identified with spring and rebirth, it is the egg that has come to signify the season, and by extension the Easter holiday itself.

There’s a lot of lore associated with the egg; the ancients regarded the egg as a symbol of new life and rebirth. In fact, the world egg is a mythological motif found in the creation myths of many cultures and civilizations. In Chinese mythology the universe began as an egg, and the ancient Egyptians, Persians, Phoenicians, and Hindus all have some variation of the world egg myth, thus establishing the egg as the symbol of new life eons ago.

The Decorated Egg

Today, the most obvious example of eggs in modern (western) symbolism is the use of dyed eggs during Easter. The decoration of eggs to enhance their value became an art form centuries ago and continues today. There are many techniques and traditions when it comes to the decorating of (Easter) eggs. Some of the historical techniques for coloring or decorating eggs include:Pysanky: Intricate designs are drawn in wax on the eggs, a process closely related to batik. The eggs are then dyed many colors. Ukrainian artisans are famous for their pysanky.

Jeweled: Probably no decorated eggs are more famous or regaled than the Faberge eggs. The eggs are made of precious metals or hard stones decorated with combinations of enamel and gem stones.

Etched Eggs: The boiled egg is first dyed, then wrapped in a layer of wax and finally soaked in vinegar where color bleached off. This leaves only the wax areas of color.

Cut-Out or Carved: Blown eggs are used for these creations where a portion of the shell is cut away. The exterior is decorated, and the inside filled with a little scene to be viewed through the cut-out section.

Decorating Your Easter Eggs with Natural Food Dyes

There are many things that can be used to dye eggs. They have been dyed with roots of plants, flowers, fruits, coffee, tea, vegetables, and bark from trees. Below is a list of some suggested materials for use as natural dyes; keep in mind that natural dyes are going to create more subtle and subdued earth tones than bright colors. Also, you can check out this article at Better Homes and Gardens for a step-by-step guide and recipes for naturally dyed Easter eggs.

And don’t forget, you can always just keep it real with naturally colorful eggs laid by an Easter Egger. An Easter Egger is any chicken that possesses the “blue egg” gene and lays ‘Easter-ready shades’ like pale blue-green.

Really? A recipe for egg salad? Well considering we posted a recipe on the proper way to hard boil farm fresh eggs, why not explore recipes for egg salad? Plus there are so many different variations out there!